A special blood drive is coming to Flint Hills Mall Sunday in support of the memory and life mission of McKenzie Payne.
Payne, a 2013 graduate of Emporia High School was preparing to enter medical school at the University of Kansas back in 2018 before she was murdered by Dylan Barber. The McKenzie Payne Memorial Scholarship Fund was established shortly after by her friends and family to support students planning to attain a degree within the medical field.
According to Joie Payne, McKenzie’s mother, on a recent KVOE Morning Show interview, the fund has already raised $62,000 towards this mission. Sunday’s blood drive will support another important effort, McKenzie’s life mission to “help as many people as she could” according to Joie Payne.
The blood drive will take place inside of Flint Hills Mall from 11:30 am to 4:30 pm. Joie Payne says a total of 59 slots are available for the blood drive with 53 filled as of Monday morning.
The collection goal is 55 units which has the potential to save 165 lives. To set an appointment for the blood drive visit RedCRossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS or visit the Payne’s Promise website at Paynespromise.org.
